Safety device for shells.



N. W. AASEN.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR SHELLS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. la -191s.

1,224,885. Patent-ed May 8, 1917.

NIELS WALTERSEN AASEN, OF COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR SHELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 18, 1915. Serial No. 62,162.

To all whom itma z concern Be it known that I, NInLs WALTERSEN AAsnN, a citizen of the Kingdom of Norway, residing at No. 20 Carl Lunds Gade, Copenhagen, Denmark, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Safety Devices for Shells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a safety device for shells, particularly inflammable shells and small explosive shells.

Two forms of construction of shells provided with the safety device herein referred to'are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of one construction, partially in section, 1

Fig. 2 is the other form of construction in section,

Figs. 3 and 4 are details, and

Fig. 5 is a rear end view of the shell.

The shell consists of the shell casing 1 with a four-winged steering tail-piece 2. The igniting mechanism consists of a hollow screw 3 which is screwed into the'apeX of.

the shell, and which receives a firing-pin 4 inserted in the hollow screw, said firing-pin being furnished with an impact-plate 40 and a spiralspring 5, which holds the hollow screw and the firing-pin together. A small tube 6 penetrates the shell-casing and receives a release-pin 7 and a safety pin 8. In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the firingpin 4 is positively held in inoperative position and without any possibility'of slipping by means of a spring 9 which is held together in cylindrical shape, as shown in Fig. 3, by the safety 1pin which directly and positively engages t e spring 9 and prevents its release.

The shell, which is supposed to be discharged by means of a howitzer, mortar or the like,- has at its rear a plate 12 carrying a cylinder 14 with closed top 20. In the lower end of this cylinder there is disposed a piston 13 to which the releasing-pin 7' is attached, and which is held in place by means of a spiral spring 15.

When the shell is discharged, the premure of the propelling charge directly actuates the piston 13, driving it forward together with the releasing-pin 7 This drives forward the safety pin 8, so that the latter isforced out of'the joint of the spring 9, permitting the spring to spread out into a more or less open form. This releases the firinging pin 4.

When the shell is discharged, the piston 13 is simultaneously actuated, thus moving Patented May 8, 1917.

forward the safety pin 8, so that the pin 18.

is released and moved out of the firing pin 4 by the centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the shell and the torsion of the spring 5 will then turn the firing-pin around so many times that its screwthreaded part 41 will be screwed free from the screwthreads in the hollow screw 3. The igniting mechanism is then set.

This safety device can only be released by discharging the shell in the regular manner. The shell cannot be caused to explode by ordinary handling, by dropping it, by striking it, or by shocks. The safety pin 8 can: I

not fall out of its own accord, since its downward-projecting branch springs outward a little, thus causing a tension which makes it jam, and the sprlng 9 also has an outward tension, which tends to hold the pin in place.

The pin. 8 may also have a link at the top, as shown in Fig. 4.

I claim:

1. In a shell, a firing pin at the front thereof and having an impact plate, means adapted to hold said firing pin in normal position including a slidable pin and located intermediate said impact plate and the front of the shell, a cylinder at the rear of said shell and open at the rear end thereof, and a piston in said cylinder carrying a releasing pin, said releasing pin being adapted, when the said piston is moved forward, to move the first-mentioned pin andrelease the means adapted to hold the said firing pin in normal position.

2. In a shell, a firing pin at the front thereof and having an impactplate, means .plate adjacent the rear 0 en end of the said cylinder and spaced there om, and a piston in said cylinder carrying a releasing ,pin, said releasing pin being adapted, when the said piston is moved forward, to move the first-mentioned pin and release the means adapted to hold the said firing pin in normal position.

3. In a shell, a threaded firing pin screwed into a socket and having a lateral opening, a holding pin thrust through said opening and preventing the rotation of said firing pin, a safety pin-connectedto said holding pin to prevent the withdrawal thereof, and to prevent the rotation of said firing pin means for removing said safety pin out of position so that said holding pin can be ejected from the opening of the said firing pin, and a spring under torsion connected to said firing pin and adapted to revolve the same upon the release thereof.

4. In a shell, a firing pin at the front thereof, means adapted to positively maintain said firing pin in normal position, and to prevent the discharge of the shell, including a slidable pin, a cylinder at the rear of said shell, and open at the rear end thereof, and a piston in said cylinder carrying a releasing pin, said releasing pin being adapted, when the said piston is moved forward, to actuate the first mentioned slidable pin and release the means adapted to positively maintain the said firing pin in normal position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NIELS \VALTERSEN AASEN.

Witnesses CHRISTINE JESPERSEN, ANNA W. AAsEx. 

